PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dexter Solomon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei Ercus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Solomon
vs
Ercus

208 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dexter Solomon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andrei Ercus!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ercus tries to close the distance and clinch up but Solomon swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Ercus moves into range and clinches up with Solomon.
Solomon is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ercus is keeping busy.
Solomon tries to pull guard but Ercus forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Solomon really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Solomon letting Ercus take a breather here.
Solomon is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ercus to keep the fight standing.

Ercus escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ercus gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ercus missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ercus is taking a breather. Solomon says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solomon slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ercus throwing strikes but missing.
Ercus sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Andrei Ercus wasn't active enough on the ground.

Ercus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Ercus drags the fight down to the ground.
Ercus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Solomon's guard.
Solomon wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ercus accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ercus gets to his feet. Solomon looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Solomon throws a leg kick but Ercus sees it coming and moves out of range.
Solomon pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ercus has closed the distance and engaged Solomon in a clinch.

Ercus drags the fight down to the ground.
Ercus seems keen to control Solomon's posture.
Ercus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Solomon's guard.
Solomon can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ercus controls the pace.
Ercus's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Andrei Ercus.
Ercus's jab looks to have found its range, popping Solomon under the eye.

Ercus gets the takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Solomon looking for a sweep but Ercus has passed into full mount! Oh no!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Ercus dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ercus throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Solomon tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ercus is in Solomon's guard.
Ercus throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Solomon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ercus is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ercus throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ercus controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Andrei Ercus wasn't active enough on the ground.

Solomon gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Solomon will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ercus stands up from Solomon's guard - Ercus perhaps looking for a knockout.

Ercus clinches.
Solomon utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Ercus has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Solomon regains guard immediately.
Ercus advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ercus is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ercus moves into full mount! Solomon won't be happy about that!
Ercus controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ercus throws some wild stikes that Solomon manages to avoid easily.
Ercus punching from mount but Solomon doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Ercus looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Andrei Ercus hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Ercus feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrei Ercus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ercus gets the takedown into side control.

Ercus tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ercus has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Solomon being controlled for a moment.
Solomon is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ercus working the ground and pound but Solomon is defending the strikes.
Ercus has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Ercus goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Solomon rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Ercus's guard! Nice work there by Solomon!
Ercus manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ercus throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ercus looking to finish with strikes here!
Solomon is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ercus landing strikes from the mount.

Solomon is rocked!
A big strike lands for Ercus! That's really hurt Solomon and he's turned his back - Ercus keeps firing away and the ref dives in to stop the fight! Ercus jumps to his feet to celebrate the victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andrei Ercus!